White Horses and Fairy Tales
by gypsyfenix
Summary: Carly meets coworkers at a local bar. The night goes terribly wrong when a guy from work hits on her and she shuts him down. Eliot Spencer happens to be there to rescue. But Eliot's past complicates what could have been a happy ending for both of them.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One: Rusty's Bar - Corner of Camelot and Sherwood

The bar was way too loud, too crowded for my liking. Only a couple of glasses of wine would dull my senses enough to make it bearable and I was only halfway through my first Cabernet.

I watched my friends across the table laughing and having a good time. They were co-workers from Camco where I worked in the engineering department. Dana was a busty redhead, with a little too much make-up for my taste, but she pulled it off somehow. She looked more like Dolly Parton than Tammy Faye. Sharon was a loud talking, aggressive, redneck that wouldn't take any crap from anybody. I hated to say it, but I was slightly afraid of her. This may have been the reason I took her up on her invitation to join them at the Rusty's, a local dive bar and it was a decision I was beginning to regret more and more each second. So what if my co-workers thought I was a stick-in-the-mud who didn't know how to have a good time? So what if they made my life a living hell by talking about me LOUDLY behind my back the way they did Peggy, the Pentecostal Holiness girl in payroll? Who needed friends like these? Who needed this lousy job anyway?

I needed the job, but the friends? I could take them or leave them. I was used to being alone, but I was getting bored going home alone every night and heating up frozen dinners, curling up to watch my favorite crime drama. Maybe I should get a dog....

"Hey, Earth to Carly! Wake up!" Sharon was screaming at me from across the table.

I blinked at her. "What did I miss?"

Dana laughed too loudly. "Oh, my God! Not even through one drink and she's already drunk!"

"I was saying that Charlie was here! He's over there by the bar."

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, great, just what I need." Charlie was the supply clerk for the front office. His daily routine involved making the rounds to the office cubicles checking for supply requests. He always spent more time in the female cubicles and even more time in mine. Or at least it seemed that way. The women tolerated him only because they had to. The last girl that pissed him off didn't get staples for 3 months.

Charlie thought he was a ladies' man. With his tattoos, piercings and over powering cologne, I could hardly stand to be near him, let alone go out with him as he kept suggesting. Both girls laughed hysterically. "You know you want him!"

"Are you kidding me?" If there was someway I could get out of there gracefully, I would have. Especially when I saw Charlie making his way to the table. I could smell his cologne 5 feet away before he reached the table.

"Hi, Ladies! Mind if I join you?"

Before anyone could utter a response, he flipped a chair around from another table and scooted it up right next to mine. Then he plopped down heavily and grinned at me. I managed a pleasant smirk and pulled another sip of wine.

"Hi, Doll!"

"The name's Carly."

"Oooh…touchy! I still love ya, anyway."

I rolled my eyes again and looked away from him. That's when I noticed the guy at the end of the bar watching me with piercing eyes. I guess I'd been too preoccupied with Charlie to see him before. His long hair was brown, parted in the middle and straight. He wore it so it hung down and hid part of his face. When he saw me looking at him, he looked down at his beer bottle. From what I could see, he was nice looking. So what was his problem? He looked like a guy I could use in my corner right about now. I watched him as he tilted the beer bottle to his lips, his muscular arms straining at the material of his plaid shirt with the movement.

"Hey, I'm over here!" Charlie said inches from my ear.

I fought the immediate impulse to slap him. He hadn't touched me yet, or I probably would have. But he was in my space, taking up way too much of it.

"Charlie. I'm not deaf. I can hear."

"So, when are you and me going to go out?"

_When hell freezes over! _I sighed and bit my lip. "I'm not ready for that yet, Charlie."

"You need to forget about that guy and get back in the saddle, Sweetie."

Oh, great. Just what I needed. Cowboy-themed double entendres.

"If you keep saying 'no' I might quit asking."

"Is that a threat or a promise?" I blurted.

I watched the reaction on his face turn from smiling to scowling. Slowly at first, then deepening into disbelief, then turning into anger. For a second, I wasn't sure. Had I really said that out loud? I wasn't sorry in the least, however. I hadn't wanted to hurt his feelings, but I was really tired of this game.

When he didn't say anything, I stood up. "Excuse me; I have to go to the ladies' room."

I walked off on wobbly legs and seemed to float through the bar. Past Charlie, the guy in the plaid shirt, the guy with the ponytail whom I'd seen drinking with Charlie earlier. Nerves and two glasses of wine had finally kicked in, and I was a little drunker than I had intended on getting.

After I peed and splashed some water on my face, I stared into the mirror. What was it guys were after? Did I have "doormat" stamped on my forehead? Some facial characteristic that led them to believe that I was gullible? Did I have a "tell" that hinted at my low self-esteem?

I took a deep breath and gathered my courage to go out and face him again. What right did he have to think I was obligated to go out with him? What was with these guys? Just because they ask, doesn't mean I have to say yes.

The bathroom was down a hallway, with women's on one side and men's on the other. There was about 5 feet of space between them, so that if you were coming out of one and someone was coming out of the other, you couldn't see into the other bathroom. As I opened the door and stepped out, the door to the men's room opened. I caught my breath, hoping I wouldn't have to walk past Charlie. I was relieved to see that it was the brooding guy I had seen sitting at the bar. I nodded at him. He stared at me intensely for a second, then stepped in front of me. I froze and stared back at him. He touched my arm lightly and leaned forward till he was a few inches from my ear.

"I need to tell you something. That guy you were talking to? He and his buddy are planning to take you out in the parking lot." His voice was raspy and menacing.

I gasped and drew back instinctively and his grip tightened a bit. "Don't worry. I'm not going to let that happen," he promised. "I'm going to go back with you to your table. We're going to act like long lost friends, okay?"

I nodded. "How did you…?"

"I heard them plan it in the bathroom. I waited until they left before I came out. Then I waited for you."

"Th-th-thanks."

He smiled and his blue eyes danced. "Glad to, ma-am. Now, let's go back before someone comes looking."

He turned me and walked slightly behind me, his hand still on my arm.

"So, what are you, a cop or something?"

"Or something. Let's just say, I don't like seeing people pick on someone weaker than them."

"Oh, really? So you're just a white knight helping a poor damsel in distress? Is that a hobby or an occupation?"

He laughed. "A little of both, actually."

We were halfway to the table and I suddenly realized something. "I don't know your name."

"Eliot, Eliot Spencer."

"I'm Carly."

I was relieved to see Charlie was gone. I sat down after Eliot pulled out my chair and then sat in the empty seat next to me.

Sharon looked Eliot up and down hungrily. "Well, well, well! Next time, let me know when you're going to the ladies' room! I might want to go with you if you're going to come back with one of these!"

I laughed. "Sharon, Dana, this is Eliot. He's an old friend of mine. I haven't seen him since I worked at the mall!"

"Yeah, those were some great times, weren't they? Remember that time that guy shoplifted those pants…?"

"Oh, the one that left his wallet behind when he was trying them on?"

"Yeah, then he came back to get it."

I turned to Sharon and Dana. "In saunters this guy, looking really spooked, and as if that wasn't suspicious enough, I notice the tag hanging out of his shirttail AND…the size tape still on the side of his pants!"

Eliot was laughing loudly. "So she calls me, I was the security guard that night. I come in…."

"…the guy was still in the dressing room when he got there. I guess he was waiting so it wouldn't look so obvious when he came out."

"You should have seen the look on his face when he opened the door and I was standing there!" He re-enacted the scene, his face molded into a menacing grimace.

We were all laughing by then. His story was so convincing, I found myself watching him and trying to imagine the look on the guys face. But more than that, it was the scowl on his face that I knew would turn Charlie's legs to butter.

While the girls were still laughing, Eliot caught my eye and then glanced toward the door. I nodded slightly.

I made a point to look at my watch. "Wow! Look at the time."

Sharon snorted. "It's still early!"

"I know, but I've got further to drive than you two. I have to take the freeway to work."

I turned to Eliot and said "we have to get together and talk about our bad old days sometime."

Eliot nodded and smiled. I felt my heart jump slightly. "You still got my number, right?"

"You're still working there?"

"Are you kidding? They'd have to close the place if I left."

I laughed and leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Stay sweet, Eliot."

He gave me a look, a cross between a smirk and a smile that made me tingle. "Always."

I said goodbye to Sharon and Dana and turned to leave as if nothing was going on. I didn't realize how hard it would be to walk out that door alone, trusting that Eliot, who was practically a stranger, would be somewhere behind me. Fighting the urge to look back, I felt like Lot's wife: any minute now, I would turn into a pillar of salt.

The cool night air felt like a slap in the face when I walked out. It had been quite warm when I got to the bar. I shivered slightly not sure if it was from nerves or the cool night air. I scanned the parking lot quickly for my car and walked towards it. Dead man walking, I thought. Dead woman walking? Which would it be? My mind was racing with thoughts and plans as to what I would do if Charlie tried to hurt me and Eliot didn't make it in time. And there were two of them! What kind of guy was he that could take on two guys at once?

Come to think of it, he never did tell me what he did. He was evasive when I asked him if he were a cop. He joked about his profession being a "white knight." He was built like a body builder, but looked like a grunge metal rock star. A very curious man, Eliot Spencer.

As I tried to sort it all out, I was also wary of my surroundings. And yet, I never saw him when he appeared from nowhere and grabbed my arm as I reached to unlock my car door.

"Hey, Snooty Bitch!" Charlie was suddenly in my face. Before I could react, he had me pinned against my car, pushing his body against me. "Who do you think you are? You think you're too good for me? HUH?"

The mixture of whisky and his cologne made me nauseous. I briefly considered throwing up on him; maybe that would get him away from me.

"Charlie, hang on. It's not that." I didn't know what he had in mind, but maybe I could stall him until Eliot showed up.

"Then what is it?"

"I don't know what you mean! I haven't done anything to you."

"Then why won't you go out with me?"

"What's with you, Charlie? Can't you take a hint?" a voice growled from the darkness. Charlie turned around to see Eliot step towards him. He leaned away from me, but kept a grip on my arm.

"Beat it. This is between her and me."

"That's where you're wrong, friend. The only thing between you and her is me." He grabbed the arm Charlie was using to hold me and twisted, coming up with his knee at the same time. I couldn't see where his knee landed, but it must have been painful. I heard the sound of a bone breaking as Charlie let out a yelp and let me go. Eliot was on him like a pit bull, hitting him in several places with lightning speed. Charlie was on the ground gasping for breath. Eliot picked him up and hit him again, this time knocking him out. Then he grabbed him by the collar and dragged him a few feet away and dropped him between two parked cars.

I was shaking uncontrollably when Eliot walked up. I was holding my stomach and I felt like throwing up. He grabbed me by the arm as I bent over and looked at me. "Hey, you okay?" Tears spilled out and I started sobbing. He pulled me against his chest and wrapped his arms around me. "I take it you've haven't seen too many fist fights?"

"No," I sobbed. "Isn't that obvious?"

He laughed. "I thought you looked out of place in there. Why did you come here?"

"Dana and Sharon talked me into it. I was bored. Wanted to do something different."

"Well, come on, I'll take you home. We need to get out of here before Romeo wakes up."

I pushed away from him, suddenly feeling uneasy. "I have to be at work in the morning. I can't leave my car here."

He stiffened up and got a strange look on his face. "Oh, okay. I see."

"No, Eliot. I mean, I don't want to leave my car here." I took a deep breath. "Oh, God, I don't mean…I mean…I don't want you to think…Oh shit!"

He smiled, his eyes dancing. "Calm down. Damn, girl, no wonder men take advantage of you! You gotta learn to be strong, stand up for yourself."

"Oh, shut up." I gave him a quick light punch to the chest. He feigned injury and grinned. "I don't think Charlie-boy will be bothering me any more." I unlocked my door and opened it.

Eliot stood back and peered into the back seat. "I think ol' Charlie-boy's gonna be looking for someone to whoop after he gets out of the emergency room. I'm just afraid that someone might be you."

I looked up at him as he shut the door. "You think so?"

"Why don't I just follow you home? You okay to drive?"

"I'm in better shape than Charlie. Oh, what happened to his friend?"

"Let's just say I made a believer out of him."

I gave him a puzzled look. "I don't want to know, do I?"

He smiled and glanced away. "Which way you headed in case I lose you?"

"Up towards the freeway. Then east."

He nodded, and then slapped the hood. "Lock your doors. I don't want to have to whoop any more asses tonight if I can help it."

I locked my doors and watched him get into a truck about three cars over. I waited until he had started his engine before I started mine, then I pulled out and left the parking lot, watching him follow me in the rear view mirror. It was very comforting to know I had someone who could handle himself and protect me. I had not had that feeling for a long time.

We arrived at my house with no incident. I was exhausted from the drive and the stress of all the excitement of the night. After I pulled into the driveway and got out, Eliot met me and walked behind me to the door. As I unlocked the door, I said over my shoulder. "I appreciate all you've done for me tonight, Eliot. I don't know what I would have done without you."

I turned around and looked at him in the darkness. I was glad he couldn't see my face…or could he? How much reflection was the street light casting on my face? I looked away quickly, opened the door and reached to turn the outside light on.

"Don't!" he commanded.

I froze. "Why not?"

"Light makes a better target."

"Oh," I said sheepishly. I stood in the doorway, uncertain what to do next. I didn't know what his intentions were, how he expected me to repay him, and I was getting very nervous. He was still playing the heavy, bodyguard role he had assumed back at the bar, growling and unsmiling. I wasn't sure I liked this Eliot.

"You know, you really should let me check the house. In case someone is here."

"You think Charlie beat us back, broke in before we got here?"

"No, but I'm sure Charlie has friends. We know he has at least one that's willing to get his ass beat for him."

I stepped back and let him come in. I always left a small table lamp on when I was going out. I was grateful for that now, even more than ever.

"Stay here," he growled and went off into the other part of the house. It suddenly occurred to me that this was all just a macho act, trying to impress me with his knight-in-shining-armor role. Unfortunately, it reminded me of my first husband. I heard him flicking light switches and opening closet doors. Then I heard him in the bathroom taking a wizz. I bit my lip to keep from laughing, which lasted until he walked down the hallway.

One look at his scowling face and I cracked up.

"What's so funny?" he snapped.

"If you had to come in to take a piss, all you had to do was ask. You didn't have to go through all that drama."

For a second he looked as if he was getting angry, then his face softened and broke into a smile. "That's funny. I'm just trying to protect you, Carly."

"I think you've done your duty tonight, above and beyond the call, Eliot. So, if you don't mind, I'd like to get some sleep. I have to get up early."

I watched his face go blank a second, then blinked. "Sure. Okay. If that's what you want."

I crossed over to him, and touched him lightly on the arm. I could feel his muscles jumping underneath the fabric of his shirt. "Eliot, thanks for your help. I don't know what else to say. It just doesn't seem like enough. What can I do to repay you?"

He smiled slyly. Then his expression softened. "I'm glad to do it."

I smiled back. He reached over and kissed my cheek softly. "Sleep tight. Don't let the bedbugs bite." Then he turned away and walked to the door. He stopped, the turned around. "Oh, give me your cell phone."

I looked at him oddly, but nodded. I fished it out of my pocket and handed it over to him. He punched numbers for a while, turned it around and showed me the screen.

"Mark?"

He smiled handing it to me. His expression turned serious as I took it, and he let his hand linger on mine. "Call me if anything strange happens. Even if you think it's nothing. Okay?"

I nodded. "I'll be fine, Eliot. Don't worry."

He nodded and turned to the door. Walking through he reached around to make sure it was locked, and then walked out shutting it firmly behind him.

I went to the bathroom, and started my shower. As I was taking off my clothes, I glanced over at the toilet seat. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the lid was down. So he was a gentleman after all.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: Old Friends and Loose Ends

The alarm clock landed with a bouncing crash on the hardwood floor of my bedroom. As usual, 6:00 am had come way too early. Especially with the effects of the glasses of wine still buzzing in my brain. I was straining to remember how many, when the events of the night came flooding back. Eliot. He was the first and strongest memory, followed by the fight and his presence in my house.

I didn't even know this guy, knew nothing about him, but yet I had let him in my house. I hadn't done anything like that since my divorce 5 years ago. I stumbled to the kitchen and poured a cup of coffee. At least I had remembered to set up the coffee machine before I passed out last night. I opened the fridge and decided on a cup of blueberry yogurt. I wasn't really that hungry and I only had an hour to get ready before I left for work. I went to the living room and sat down in front of the TV to watch the news. The TV was in the middle of the room across from the big bay window which gave me a lovely view of the neighbors walking their dogs, jogging, pushing baby strollers. Ah, Suburbia. I loved it.

But this morning, there was an extra added attraction to the scenery, namely a green and white late model pickup with streaks of rust sat parked in front of my house. I bolted off the couch and to the window for a closer look. It was dark last night in the bar's parking lot, but yet I still recognized Eliot's truck. The fact that he was sitting in it helped identify it, also.

I ran back into my bedroom, dressed hurriedly and finished getting ready for work. Then I went into the kitchen, grabbed another coffee mug and filled it full of coffee. I walked out the door with it and up to the truck. He was just sitting there, looking straight ahead, his sunglasses hiding his eyes. It was hard to tell if he was awake, not that it mattered. As I approached, I saw his chest heave as if he was taking a deep breath. Then he stretched and yawned.

"Have you been out here all night?" I asked.

He nodded. "I hope to God that's black" he said as reached for the mug of steaming hot coffee.

"Eliot, you didn't have to do that!"

"Well, I was sitting out here in the truck, planning to leave, when a guy came by and stopped across the street. I'm pretty sure it was the same car that your buddy was driving."

"How did you know that?"

He smiled. "I have connections. Anyway, I sat here until he left and I thought it might be a good idea if I stayed. I knew you had gone to bed and I didn't want to wake you."

I shook my head. "You are amazing, you know that?"

He feigned a modest expression. "Why, thank you ma'am."

I laughed. "I tell you what. I'll take you out to breakfast. My treat, your choice."

He looked through the windshield of his pickup and took a sip of coffee. "Okay, how about Uncle Bill's."

I stared at him uncertainly. "Do you think he'll mind us dropping in unannounced?"

He laughed. "No, silly, it's a restaurant. They make the best pancakes in town."

"Great! I love pancakes! Let me make a quick phone call and I'll be ready."

I went inside and called work, making a big deal about how sick I was. I came out and I climbed into Eliot's pickup and off we went.

The restaurant was fancier than I thought it would be, with wood paneling. Eliot held the door open for me and asked if I preferred a table or a booth. While we were waiting for our order, he folded his hands on the table in front of him, leaned forward, and gave me a serious look. "Do you really want to know what I do for a living?"

I sipped my coffee and leaned forward. "You won't have to kill me, will you?"

He smiled. "Depends. Can I trust you?"

"Well, I don't know. You know a great deal more about me than I do about you. And the question you need to be asking yourself is… 'Do I really need to tell her?' "

"That's fair enough." He sipped his coffee in silence.

I was almost afraid to know after last night. Maybe he was a hit man for the mafia.

The waitress came and took our order. Eliot ordered a western omelet with bacon and cheddar waffle. I ordered banana buckwheat pancakes with walnuts.

After she left, he asked "so what do you do?"

"I organize information for the engineering department at Camco Corporation. Really boring stuff."

"What would you rather do?"

"I don't know."

He raised his eyebrows. "You don't know, or you'd rather not say."

"Does it matter?"  
He shrugged. "If you're happy doing what you're doing . . ."

I looked out the window, trying to find a way to change the subject.

"Hey, everybody has dreams. You just have to do what you have to do to make them come true."

"Oh, really? Dreams don't pay the rent."

He sipped his coffee and gave me a hard look. "Some do. You just have to believe in what you're doing."

"I want to make jewelry."

He blinked. "Like I said, 'some do.' "

I laughed. "I'm not stupid and I'm not some blind dizzy blond that's waiting for her knight in shining armor to come along."

A strange look flickered over his face, and then was gone. Was it a memory of something someone said? Or disappointment in not being able to fulfill that role in my life? There was so much I didn't know about him. In fact I knew very little. What I did know was, he was a decent person deep down, and he liked to protect people.

"Did you make that?" He pointed to the necklace on my neck.

I fingered the beaded turquoise and silver piece. "Yes, I did."

"Its pretty. You have a talent."

"Thanks. But like I said. It wouldn't pay the rent."

"I thought you owned that house."

"What?" I said, sharper than I meant to sound. "How . . . have you been checking up on me?"

He shot me a guilty glance. "Well…I … had to…"

"Had to what? Who are you? You said you weren't a cop."

He raised a hand to silence me. "Calm down. It's not what you think. I did it to protect you. I wanted to make sure…"

"I was telling the truth?"

"Look, I wanted to make sure I wasn't getting involved in some scam or trap. In my business, I have to be careful."

"And just what is your business?" I asked suspiciously.

About that time the waitress came up with our food. I stared at my beautiful stack of pancakes and lost my appetite.

Eliot thanked the waitress with a smile, the looked back at me, his face scowling. "I thought you didn't want to know what I do."

"That was before I found out you were spying on me."

"I'm not spying on you," he hissed. "And would you keep your voice down."

"Is there a problem?"

We both stopped arguing and looked up. A bleached blonde in an Uncle Bill's uniform stood beside our booth. I glanced at her name tag. "Lisa, Asst. Mgr."

"Lisa?" Eliot said in awe.

"Eliot! Oh, wow! This is a surprise."

Eliot acted like he didn't know what to say. If fact, he looked very much like a cornered animal. I had a feeling that whatever the story was with Lisa, he wasn't happy with the ending.

"Man. You're assistant manager here? When did you get out?"

I stared at him in shock. Out? Out of where? Prison? Mental institution? Either way, this did not look good.

"A few months ago. I've been living in a halfway house. So that's a lot of fun."

He smiled sheepishly.

"So, aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?" She said the last word with acid dripping off her tongue.

Ahh…ahhhh this is Carly. Carly Thomas. This is my e….This is Lisa."

I held out my hand. She stared at it as if I were offering her a rattlesnake to pet. I glanced at my watch. "Aww….shoot. Eliot, you know what? I'm going to be late if we don't get moving. This took longer than I thought."

"Yeah…Lisa, could you get our waitress to bring us our check? I'd really appreciate it."

She stared daggers at him and marched off.

"I say we get this to go." I hated to leave the pancakes. They looked delicious.

He cocked at eyebrow at me. "Only if she doesn't get near the food. I wouldn't trust her to even pour me coffee."

"Is she a psycho?" I whispered.

Just then the waitress came up. "Is everything all right?"

Eliot smiled at her. It was an amazing thing to see, guaranteed to melt every female with his dazzling charm.

"Yeah, darlin', just great. Only my friend has to be at work, so we're going to have to get moving. Could you bring us some takeout plates?" She turned to go, but Eliot placed his hand on her arm. "And do me a favor? Don't let your assistant manager anywhere near the plates. Okay?" I saw him slip something in her apron pocket.

She smiled back. "Don't worry, honey. I wouldn't let that crazy bitch feed my dog!"

My eyes widened. "Something tells me we need to hurry. I'd hate to have your truck get blown up."

"That's not funny."

"I wasn't joking. Seriously."

Our waitress came back with the plates and took my card to pay for our meal. We put our food in the black Styrofoam plates. Then the waitress came back with syrup, butter and two fresh coffees to go. I smiled at Eliot after she left. "How much did you give her?"

"Enough to guarantee we can get out of here without being sabotaged."

We escaped to the truck and I held my breath as he started it up. Eliot looked at me with concern. "Hey, relax. Unless she picked up some extra skills in prison, she doesn't know anything about wiring."

"So it was prison? What did she do?"

"She tried to kill the last woman she caught me with."

I stared at him, horrified until I saw a glimmer in his eyes. "Ha-ha. Seriously."

"No, she was caught embezzling money from the bank where she was a teller."

"I wonder if Uncle Bill knows about that."

"If he doesn't he soon will."

"Are you going to tell him?"

"I'm sure he'll find out soon enough."

"So was it prison that broke you two up?"

"Nope. It was a knife in my back."

I groaned. "Please tell me that was a figure of speech."

"You want to see the scar?"

"No, no! I believe you!"

He pulled into a local park and stopped in front of a picnic table. He got out went around to my side, held the door open. Then he reached for my plate to hold while I climbed down. Is this gentleman act for real?

We sat at the table and ate. The pancakes were delicious, even though they weren't piping hot. I caught Eliot watching me eat at few times.

"They're good, aren't they?" he remarked.

"Wonderful! Thanks for suggesting it."

"No, thank you. You paid."

"It was the least I could do, after you spent the night in front of my house."

He shrugged modestly. "I've slept in worse places."

"Does that have anything to do with your business?"

"Okay. I'm going to have to level with you. I am what's known as a 'retrieval specialist.' I get hired make sure certain people live up to their end of the bargain."

"Is that anything like a 'muscle' person….guy….whatever… for the mafia?"

He shrugged. "You might say that. Only I've been working with a regular team of guys lately."

"What do these guys do exactly?"

"We help people. But we have to do it sort of under the radar."

I shook my head. "I don't really understand."

"I really can't tell you any more. I'm sorry."

Suddenly, it didn't matter anymore. Why should it? I'd never see him after today.

"That's okay." I finished my pancakes in silence. We didn't have a lot to talk about after that. Unanswered questions were hanging in the air, hampering conversation.

When we had both finished, he took our plates and disposed of them in the nearby trashcan. "Well, I guess I'd better take you home," he said simply. I followed him back to the truck in silence.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three: Heroes and Bad Guys

After he dropped me off, I spent the rest of the day cleaning house, making jewelry and other things I never seemed to have time to do. I was so burned out by the weekend that I usually just rented a few movies and vegged out in front of the TV with a glass of wine. I wasn't really hungry after that mountainous stack of pancakes, so I took a shower and settled down on the couch to watch TV.

As usual, I started dozing off. I began to dream about Eliot, his voice was whispering in my ear. He said, "You need to come away with me. It's not safe for you here."

A crash sounded. I jumped so fast I almost fell off the couch. At first I thought it was on TV, until I saw the curtain moving and heard the vehicle peeling off down the street. It was then I was alert enough to realize what I heard was breaking glass.

My heart was thumping nearly out of my chest with panic. I grabbed the phone and called 911. After telling them my name address, and explaining the situation, I hung up and wondered what to do next. Eliot words hammered in my brain along with the look on his face. I punched the number on my cell phone and took several deep breaths before he answered, trying to calm my nerves.

"Hello?" His husky voice made my heart leap with relief. I hadn't realized how scared I was until I heard his voice.

"Eliot? Hi." I tried to sound casual. My tightening throat told me I was failing miserably.

"This Carly?"

"Ah….yeah. I just wanted to ask you a question." I tried to control my voice which was faltering.

"What's wrong?" he said in a wary tone.

"Nothing! Everything's fine." This was not working. Now I was starting to tear up.

"Carly, are you okay?"

"Well…..I…..someone threw a brick through my window." My voice was beginning to shake and the tears were really coming.

"I'll be right there," he growled.

"No! That's okay…..I called the cops…."

But I was talking to dead air.

The cop was there within 5 minutes after I hung up with Eliot. It was the usual scenario…

"Do you know who might have done this?"

I lied and said no.

"You haven't made anyone angry? Maybe a neighbor? Someone at work?"

"No one I could think of."

I felt guilty about lying, but it seemed to be the right thing to do. That way, there wouldn't be any probing questions about Charlie, which might possibly lead to Eliot.

After 5 minutes of questioning, the officer closed his notepad. Another policeman came in the door."I couldn't find anything outside."

"Is there anyone you can stay with tonight."

"Aaaahhh….maybe. I don't know."

"Well, Ms. Thomas. We'll be glad to watch the house for a while tonight. If you need us, call 911. If I were you, I'd put something in that window for tonight."

"Okay, thanks."

I shut the door on the cop and went to the kitchen pantry for a piece of plywood to put in the window. Painting is another hobby of mine and it was common for me to have a small sheet of plywood around to mount watercolor paper. I had just finished nailing the board in place when I heard a tap at the back door.

I groaned thinking it was Mr. Wiggins, my elderly neighbor checking on me. He was a nice guy, but he did not know when to shut up. I was not in the mood to carry on a conversation. I was considering ignoring the knock when I heard Eliot's raspy whisper. "Cary! It's me."

I rushed to the door and opened it. "I'm sorry. I should have called you back."

"What happened? You sounded upset on the phone."

"I was. I was really shook up. But the cops came…"

"I know. I saw them out front."

"I should have called you back."

"No, you did the right thing. Now, what happened?"

"It's silly. Someone threw a brick through the window."

"Where is it?"

Walking over to the table next to the door, I kept talking. "I told the cops I didn't know who might have done this…I really don't, you know? They said they were going to keep an eye out, but you know how that goes."

He studied the brick.

"What are you looking for?" I asked.

"Lisa used to live next to a building contractor."

"Are you telling me you can tell who makes a brick by looking at it?"

"They have very distinctive bricks"

"Lisa sounds like a female 'Ernest T. Bass'," I muttered.

He laughed. "You do know her. Have you got anything to put on the window?"

"Already done. "

Pulling back the curtain, he examined the job I'd done. "Well, aren't you handy?" He gave me an admiring look. "Look, I know how this is going to sound, but it might be a good idea if you come home with me."

I sighed with relief. "I won't argue there. And I don't care how it sounds. I really do not want to stay here tonight."

"Okay. I parked my truck on the street behind here. I didn't think it would be a good idea for whoever did this to see me in coming in. Whether it was Charlie or Lisa, I don't want to give them anything else to get pissed about."

I nodded. "Okay. Let me pack a few things."

When I came out with my bag, he took it from me. "Do you always leave that light on?" he pointed to the one by the front door.

"Yeah," I said nodding.

"Okay, let's do this." He followed me to the back door, reaching around me to open it. He placed a hand on my shoulder and gave me a commanding look. I stopped and waited for him to look out the door. He looked at me and nodded, then waited for me to go through the door.

After reaching around to lock the door, he shut it firmly. Then he grabbed me by the hand and started making his way through my backyard. It was pitch-dark and I wondered how he could see. Again I wondered who this guy was.

"There's a fence," I whispered.

"I know." When we reached the back of the property, he turned and grabbed me around the waist and said, "Ready?" Before I could reply, he lifted me into his arms and over the fence. I barely had time to get my feet under me. Then he jumped the fence, grabbed my hand and started walking fast, following the fence line to the other property. It was all I could do to keep up. "What's the hurry?" I hissed.

"C'mon." he ordered.

"Eliot…"

"C'MON!! NOW!" he growled.

Just then, I heard another growl – that of a dog. A big dog. He hoisted me over the adjoining neighbor's fence, only this time not quite so carefully. I stumbled, but somehow he caught me and half dragged me down the driveway. It was a miracle I didn't fall, but somehow I kept my feet under me. I was beginning to wonder what kind of mad man I was involved with.

I finally spotted a truck parked across the street. We sprinted across the street to the truck and he hustled me in through the driver's door. I was panting for breath as he shut the door.

"You okay?" he asked staring at me in the dim light of the dashboard as he started the truck.

"What the hell was that about? Why didn't you just park out front? Unless you were avoiding the cops."

He glared at me angrily. "I didn't think it would be a good idea, seeing how we don't know who or why a brick was thrown through your window. Action like that is always a message."

I was too tired and aggravated to argue. We drove silently through town, onto the freeway. After driving about 5 miles, he took the next exit.

"Where do you live?"

"I got a place off the beaten path."

We drove about ten minutes, then turned off the road past a mailbox. Off the beaten path was right; we drove another 1/2 mile before I finally saw a sprawling 50's ranch-style house under the greenish glow of a security light. He drove slowly up to the house, stopped and shut off the engine. He sat and peered out through the windshield.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Shhh…." He lifted his hand to silence me. Then he said, "Let's go," and grabbed my bag and got out of the truck. He was on my side and had shut the door by the time I was out.

I followed close behind him around to the side of the house. We entered into a spacious kitchen with state of the art appliances, pot and pans hanging over an island in the middle. Thought the light cast from the lights in the kitchen, I could see a large dining table made of rough hewn wood in the next room.

"I'll put your stuff in the guest room. Wait here."

I watched him walking into the next room without turning on lights. Oddly enough, I felt safe here with him. I really couldn't understand it, he was a complete stranger. I knew nothing about him except he had a knife-wielding, brick-throwing ex-girlfriend, and I was comfortable with him. He wasn't even my type. He was rugged, brash, and moody. And I was having a hard time getting my breath around him when he touched me.

He came back into the room a few minutes later his expression calmer than I'd seen it so far.

"Well, Mr. Bodyguard, is the perimeter secure?" I asked jokingly.

He stared at me, the scowl returning to his face. Uh-oh.

"You think this is funny?" he asked a harsh edge to his voice.

"I'm just saying, is all this drama necessary?"

"What if they decide to throw the brick at your head next time? Or maybe next time, they'll use a gun instead of a brick."

I stared warily at him, not sure how to respond to the return of the angry Eliot.

His face relaxed then and he said, "Hey, I'm sorry. I'm just trying to be careful. I don't think you realize what people are capable of."

"And I guess in your "line of work", you see all kinds, all sorts of evil…"

He tilted his head to one side and smirked. "That really bothers you, doesn't it? That you don't know what side I'm on, that I might be on the 'wrong side'."

"I never said that. It might be the right side I'm worried about."

He walked over to the refrigerator and opened it, took out a brown bottle. He held it up to me. "Want one?" I reached and grasped the bottle. He held tight and grabbed the cap, removing it with one twist. I pulled at the bottle to take it away from him, but he let his hand linger against mine for a brief moment, long enough to make sure I was looking into his eyes. He smiled.

"You ain't one of those ladies that love outlaws, are you?" he said with a smirk.

He held my gaze as I took a sip of beer. I managed to smile. "If you start singing Willie Nelson songs, I may have to throw one of those big pots at you!"

He laughed and reached in and grabbed another beer. "It's Waylon, darlin'. Not Willie."

I laughed. "Shows you how much I know about country music." I glanced at the pots and pans. "You do a lot of cooking?"

"When I have time. I like cooking; it relaxes me."

"Well, we have plenty of time and I'm starving! Show me what you got, Cowboy."

He narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the remark. Then he broke into a big grin. "Ha-ha! You are talking about my cooking, right?"

I smiled and drew another sip of beer. I didn't answer, only raised on eyebrow.

He whipped up two lighter than air fluffy omelets with cheese as I leaned against the counter and watched. As we ate at the table I commented on its beauty. "Where did you get it?"

"I made it."

"But why such a big table?"

He gave me a guarded look. "What, I can't have friends?"

I laughed. "You just seem to be a bit of a loner to me. The night I met you, you were alone. Then I call and you have nothing better to do than come to my rescue."

He gazed at me sternly a slight curl to his lip. My heart starting beating faster.

"What does that prove?" He wiped his mouth with his napkin and stood up, picking up his empty plate. "You know, you really shouldn't draw conclusions about things you know nothing about. It's safer that way." He jerked his head at my plate. "You through with that?"

I nodded. He picked up my plate and walked to the kitchen, with me following him. "Need any help?" I asked, trying to sound casual.

"No, I got this. Go sit down," he snapped.

"What's wrong, Eliot?" I reached out and placed my hand on his steely arm. He flexed and shook it off. "Eliot, I'm sorry."

He turned and glared at me. "What are you sorry about?"

"I…I didn't mean…what I said…I mean… I don't understand why you're angry."

"See, you don't know, do you?" His blue eyes flashed with anger. "You and I are not so different. You've built the same wall to keep everyone out. You watch everyone and you wonder whether it's safe to let this one in, or which one's going to stab you in the back next. Don't let your guard down, keep one eye open and always look over your shoulder."

I stared at him wondering where this was going. Was he speaking figuratively now?

"Eliot, what are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about this way you have of letting someone in just enough to let your guard down, then you push them away. Oh, you make a joke of it, but you're really trying to convince yourself that I'm not good enough for you."

"What? I never said…"

"You like to play the victim, make people feel sorry for you." He took a deep breath and leaned closer towards me. "I've seen it before, you know. An old wound that never heals because you keep tearing it open. Who treated you like shit? Your Momma? Daddy?" He spat out the wounds like venom, his eyes glaring with sarcasm. "Or maybe it was that first boy who took advantage of you and then dumped you after the first date."

I slapped him before I knew what happened. I was more surprised by the fact he didn't block the shot than the fact that I had hit him. He just smiled slightly, his lip curling sadistically. He chuckled softly.

Tears burned my eyes as I turned away from him. He grabbed my arm and pulled me to him, wrapping his arms around me like steel bands. My hands went up instinctively against his chest to push him away, but he grabbed my wrists and pushed them away. I struggled against his grasp, sobbing. The tears began and wouldn't stop. When he saw what was happening, he let go my hands and pressed my head against his shoulder.

"It's okay. I'm here. I'll take care of you." He whispered huskily, his voice buzzing in my brain like a shot of Kentucky bourbon. He held me for a few minutes, until I stopped crying, then his embrace relaxed. I lifted my head to look at him.

The look on his face caught me off guard. His expression was so kind and gentle, so unlike the violent, angry Eliot I was familiar with. I could feel his breath on my face as he pushed my hair back from my wet, tear-drenched face. His hands lingered on my face as he caressed my cheeks with his thumbs, wiping the tears away.

"Eliot…"

"Shhhh…..Don't talk." He sighed deeply, leaning down toward my lips and capturing them in a gentle kiss. His lips parted mine as he probed deeper, seeking the soft flesh within. He ran his rough hands over my body hungrily, then grabbed my ass and pushed himself against me. My body tingled like someone had plugged me into a light socket. Suddenly, he stopped and relaxed his grip and brought his hands up to my arms. He stopped kissing me, lingering softly against my lips. He drew a ragged breath and sighed.

"Carly, it's not that I don't want to. But now is not a good time. Not until we find out who's trying to hurt you." He kissed me softly on the nose. "I can't let my guard down," he said apologetically.

I closed my eyes and breathed in the moment. His smell, the sound of his heavy breathing, the weight of his hands on my arms.

"Hey," he said suddenly, "let's go watch a movie or something. If I keep standing here, I know what's going to happen."

We watched some western movie which was really good, but I was so tired I passed out in the middle. I awoke to Eliot's voice as gently shook me.

"Hey, Carly….c'mon. Let's get you to bed."

I raised my head, disoriented and realized I was leaning against his chest with my arm around his waist.

"Wha….?"

"You fell asleep. Movies over. C'mon. I'll show you your room."

I managed to get to my feel and follow him to a small modestly furnished bedroom. My duffle bag was sitting on a star-design quilt on the bed. I pulled out a t-shirt and gym shorts, which were my usual bedtime attire, and turned around.

Eliot stood in the doorway, his hand on the doorknob, ready to close it. "Good night. If you need anything, holler. I'm right across the hall."

Before he shut the door, I called out. "Eliot?"

He opened the door. "Yeah?"

"I just wanted to say, 'thank you." I smiled at him.

He smiled back and shrugged. He nodded slightly and said, "at your service, ma'am."

I laughed. "Seriously, I'm glad you were there when I needed you."

He nodded. "I'll see you in the morning and drive you to work if you want. Pick you up after?"

"That's sounds okay."

He gazed at me, his blue eyes flashing. Then he licked his lips and said, "good night" and shut the door.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four: One More Shot

It was still pitch dark when I awoke to a hand over my mouth. I struggled until I heard Eliot whisper in my ear. "Don't move. Someone's in the house."

I caught my breath and tried to swallow my heart which was in my throat. His hand travelled down my arm until he found my hand. "C'mon!" he whispered and pulled me of the bed onto my feet. Still gripping my hand tightly, he led me to the door. He stopped and looked both ways through the open door, then pulled me through into the hallway.

What the hell is he doing? I thought.

He pressed something in my hand. "Go to the truck, get in and lock the doors and wait for me. Get down in the floorboard, okay?" I nodded in the dark. "Do that, okay?"

"Okay," I whispered.

Just then I heard a noise in the living room. "Go out the back, through the kitchen," he hissed. "Run!" with that he pushed me and I took off, feeling my way along the wall.

I wasn't sure of his plan, since the living room was to the right of the dining room. The kitchen was to the left. Was he planning to rush the intruder as I made my way out the door?

As I crossed the dining room I was suddenly jerked back. I felt myself land against a body, then an arm wrapped around my waist. Then there was the unmistakable feeling of a gun barrel being jabbed into my ribs making me gasp for breath.

"Eliot! I know you're here! Show yourself!" Lisa's voice was screeching in my ear.

The room flooded with light and Eliot was standing across the room. He was standing still, but I could see every muscle in his body was tense and ready to spring. He reminded me of a rattlesnake waiting to strike.

"Lisa…c'mon, baby" he pleaded. "Why are you doing this?"

"Why am I doing this? Why are you? Why didn't you come see me in prison?"

He gave her an amused look with a slightly puzzled cock of his eyebrow. "Lisa, you stabbed me! I was in the hospital for four days." He chuckled slightly. "If that doesn't put an end to a relationship, I don't know what will."

I was trying not to move, but the gun was really hurting my ribs. I winced slightly. There was a slight change in Eliot's expression. I held my breath, wondering what he was up to. He pursed his lips, glanced at me, then back at Lisa, who was whining now.

"You hurt me so bad! Eliot, why did you do that to me?"

"What, sent you to prison?"

"No, before. I did it for you! I took that money to buy that truck you wanted."

What? She embezzled money to buy him a truck? This chick was not rowing with both oars in the water. Despite the danger I was in, I was beginning to question Eliot's taste in women.

Eliot was frowning, a confused look on his face. "I never wanted a truck, Lisa. I've driven the same one for 15 years."

"But you said if you had a million dollars, you'd buy a Silverado, remember?"

He rubbed his hand across his face and held his hands out. He took a cautious step forward. "Lisa, I never meant…"

"Stop!" she screamed. I flinched at the sound, so sure she was going to pull the trigger. "Don't come any closer!" She jabbed the gun hard between two ribs. I cried out in pain.

A look of anguish passed over Eliot's eyes before he controlled his expression. "Lisa, don't hurt her," he commanded. "You don't want to go back to jail, do you?"

Lisa was sobbing now. I was sure she had cracked one of my ribs and I was having trouble breathing.

Eliot licked his lips. As I watched the motion, I thought I saw his lips form a word. I tried to concentrate though the anxiety was making it really hard. I replayed the movement trying to analyze what I'd seen.

"Look. Just let her go and we'll forget the whole thing."

"I can't forget, Eliot! I loved you! I'd do anything for you!"

"Lisa…"

"Do you love her?"

"What?" He asked, a puzzled look on his face.

"Do you?"

"C'mon, baby. Don't do this. You made your decision."

"What choice did I have?"

"Again, remember? You stabbed me?" he hissed. He twisted slightly and pointed at his back angrily.

I was beginning to wish she'd go ahead and shoot me so I wouldn't have to listen to any more of this crap. Then I saw it again. Eliot licked his lips slowly and deliberately. The word was formed this time I was sure of it. He was looking in her direction, but his eyes would flicker a second to me. Then he deliberately looked in my direction and I thought I saw a slight nod.

"Lisa, honey."

"Don't 'honey', me. Not unless you mean it."

"Lisa, she doesn't mean anything to me. Not like you do." He was staring right at me when he said it. In the back of my head, I was thinking "wait for it. He's got a plan."

"Prove it!"

"Okay. I'll throw her ass out right now!"

"Say it! Say it to her!"

"Eliot…" I said weakly. I felt like I was about to pass out.

"Shut up, Bitch!" he shouted. His eyes were cold and full of hate.

That did it. I felt the adrenaline course through my veins. "Eliot. What…."

"Get out, now! Move your ass!" He growled.

I stared at him blankly.

"MOVE!!!" He shouted again.

_MOVE!_ The word was clear now, the one he had been trying to mouth. I twisted down and to the left. The gun went off but missed me, which gave Eliot time to lunge and grab. He grabbed her gun hand and slammed it against the kitchen counter making the gun fly out of her hand. I grabbed the gun and aimed it at Lisa.

She slumped to the floor, holding her wrist, wincing in pain. As I watched her, a sense of satisfaction washed over me. I heard metal clink behind me and Eliot produced a set of handcuffs. He hooked them on her wrist then brought her arms around behind her back and locked them. She watched me warily as I held the gun on her.

"Are you going to turn me in?" she whined.

"Let's just say we're even."

"I wasn't going to shoot her!"

"Shut up, Bitch!" I shouted.

I glanced at Eliot, who was watching me carefully, a worried look on his face. He flipped open his cell phone and punched in a number.

"You okay?" he asked.

"She held a gun on me, Eliot! What do you think?"

He laughed, then started walking out of the room to call the police.

"Eliot! Don't leave me with her!!"

Eliot smiled at her. "Looks like you may have met your match, Lisa! You finally met a girl with bigger balls than yours."

It was daylight by the time the police took our statements and took Lisa away. When we were finally alone, Eliot walked over and put his arm around me and smiled. "Are you planning to go to work today?"

I twisted my mouth and looked at the ceiling. "I'm probably going to call in sick again." I coughed and cleared my throat. "I think I've got that bug that's going around."

"I've got just the cure for what ails you…." He leaned in to kiss me, but I ducked my head.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to freshen up. Shower…brush my teeth…."

He captured my chin in his hand and pulled my face towards him. He kissed me softly, then leaned away. "You taste just fine to me."

I gazed into his flashing blue eyes that were filled with a passion that I'd only read about in romance novels. I longed to feel his hands run across my body, feel his lips on my naked flesh. I grabbed the back of his head and pulled him toward me, capturing his lips hungrily. He fed my hunger with his tongue through my open mouth as I wrapped my legs around his waist. His fingers dug through the fabric of my pants into the cheeks of my ass. I felt movement as he started walking to the bedroom but he never released my mouth from the kiss. He laid me down on the bed and lay on top of me. He began unbuttoning my top slowly, too slowly for me. He finally freed the last button and pushed back the fabric.

I heard the annoying sound of a cell phone, at first thinking it was mine then remembered it was in my purse in the guest room. Eliot rolled off me, his mouth never leaving my lips as he dug into his jeans to retrieve the interruption. He checked the phone out of the corner of his eye then broke off the kiss. He kissed me again quickly, and then sighed deeply. "I'm sorry, darlin'. I have to take this." He sat up and turned his back to me. "What is it, Hardison?" he barked into the phone. He grunted a couple of times, then said "this better be important." He glanced at me waiting for him on the bed then turned away.

He got up and walked out of the room. I couldn't hear what else he said as I waited a few minutes, then sat up and buttoned my top back. I heard the sound of his cowboy boots coming across the hall and into the room. He had my duffel bag in his hand. "Sorry, darlin', but I'm going to have to take you home. Something's come up." His tone was abrupt and irritated.

I sat there and stared at him. "What's wrong?"

He looked at me briefly and shook his head. There was a look in his eyes that didn't match his voice when he said, "I can't talk about it."

"Oh." I bit my quivering lower lip and stood up. _Don't do that. Don't you dare cry in front of him! _ I pushed past him and went out the door and into the bathroom. I shut the door and took a deep breath, then splashed cold water on my face. What the hell did I expect? I knew all along he wasn't my type. There was a reason he was alone, I told myself and I was probably better off not knowing why.

After I had composed myself, I came out of the bathroom and walked down the hall to the living room. He was standing by the front door waiting for me.

The drive home was a long one. I looked out the window at the traffic and other sights by the highway, anything to ignore him. He didn't speak except to curse under his breath at the other drivers who seemed to be in his way. In spite of my anger, I kept expecting him to say something, anything to give me something to hold onto. Something to let me know I would see him again.

When we pulled up in front of my house, I grabbed my duffel bag. Just as I was about to get out of the truck, he grabbed my arm. "Carly, I….."

I turned around to look at him. His lips were pressed tightly in a grim line, as if he wasn't sure he was saying the right thing. He exhaled forcefully. "Carly, I'm sorry. I…."

I shook my head. "Don't. Do what you have to do. Whatever the hell it is you do. But remember this…there are a lot of Lisa's out there."

I climbed out of the truck and slammed the door. As he gunned the engine and drove off, I stood there watching, thinking about white horses and fairy tales, and wondered if I was ever going to grow up. After all, white knights don't exist in this world. And I'm certainly no Maid Marian.


End file.
